Texas Senate votes down shark fin ban bill

The Texas Senate has voted down the “shark fin bill.” The bill (SB 572), had it been passed into law, would have prohibited the sale, purchase, trade, and transportation of shark fins within the state of Texas.

According to The Dallas Morning News, Senator Troy Fraser spoke against the bill arguing that fishermen who catch sharks should be able to sell whatever part of it they choose. The bill needed permission from 21 senators to reach the floor for a vote. Fraser’s speech managed to sway enough senators to prevent the bill from being voted on.

Shark finning is already illegal on a federal level. However, supporters of the bill argue that legislation on the state level is necessary, since the profits from shark finning outweigh the current federal fines.